To Hold Up the Sky (Percico/Pernico)

Chapter 34: The Traitor Is Revealed At Last

Prophecy:

There will be six at the beginning and at the end.

One will be enemy and one will be friend.

A choice be made; heart or mind.

The lover's ears be deaf and eyes be blind.

Misleading will he try to thee.

For much is the Pit God's unease.

For an ancient god will pave.

A looming final path: destroy or save.

Chapter 34:

Stormy grey eyes stared down at him, cold and empty. Annabeth's face was blank and expressionless, making shivers run down Nico's spine. 'What in the gods name happened to her?!' Nico's mind yelled with anger.

"Don't move." Annabeth ordered him, blade held firmly to his throat. Nico wanted to protest and go against her wishes, but the weight of the sky made it impossible for him to do anything but grit his teeth from the pain. His vision was tinged with red and his muscles burned with fire as he struggled to keep the sky from crushing everyone.

"Annabeth!!!!" A voice screamed with rage. Katie looked up at them, her brown eyes burning with anger that Nico had never seen before.

"Katie Gardner." Annabeth stated, eyes locked on Katie. She calculated the daughter of Demeter cooly. "The girl that drives everyone crazy with her idiocy."

"Good!" Katie spat, glaring the the daughter of Athena. She gripped her staff, squeezing the wood as her emotions boiled over. "I want you to suffer!"

Annabeth laughed at that, making Nico flinch at the cold, hard sound."Don't be silly Katie." She scoffed. Her eyes gleamed with cruelty, studying Katie with a hint of cold amusement in her grey depths. "You never could hurt me."

Nico watched the whole encounter with fear, realizing what Annabeth was doing. She knew that Katie was easily provoked, and was probably trying to buy time talking to her. He swore under his breath, for it would be a difficult task to get Katie's attention. This was not good.

"Wanna bet?" Katie challenged, her staff glowing to life. "I think your wisdom's going down the drain Annabeth."

"Oh?" Annabeth questioned, her eyes looking at her with mischief. "Then prove it." She provoked.

And that's when Nico knew they were doomed.

With that, Katie let out a cry of battle and charged, staff pulsing with power as she wielded it threatenly. She recklessly ran up to Annabeth, her weapon in an offensive position. Closing his eyes, Nico waited for the sounds of a dagger ending her life, for there was no way Katie could beat the brilliant strategist on her own.

And she didn't.

Octavian pressed his blade against her knife, intercepting a blow that would've ended her life. Katie helped him push Annabeth with all her might, which would've normally made any demigod fall backwards. But for some reason they struggled greatly to push her back, which confused Nico. How in the gods' names was she that strong?

Then he noticed it.

A black era slightly glowed around the daughter of Athena, circling her as she attacked with strength that wasn't her own. Sounds of wailing monsters was faint in the background, making Nico come to the terrible conclusion: Annabeth, the loyal daughter of Athena and girlfriend of Percy Jackson, was working for the one and only Tartarus.